Innocence
by Calimera
Summary: He waited many years to find him, yet Uriel couldn't have been prepared for what William would inspire in him... AU where Uriel came much sooner in William's life.


**A/N:** First of all, I want to thanks the people who read, fav, commented my first fanfic (_The Mirror of the Soul_). I really appreciated it! Here's my second contribution in this fandom and my latest story I wrote for a dear friend on tumblr. Feel free to tell me what you think of it. Feedback is always appreciated :) Also, many thanks to Fynnian, my beta-reader for this story.

**Disclaimer:** Makai Ouji doesn't belong to me.

* * *

_On the floating, shapeless oceans  
I did all my best to smile  
'Til your singing eyes and fingers  
Drew me loving to your eyes _**(1)**

After Solomon's death, he had hidden the ring and searched for a successor. That's how it started.

The search for Solomon's descendant hadn't been easy. It had taken Uriel years, centuries even, to find him. As only the Holy Father was all-knowing, his own abilities as the Archangel of Prophecies had been limited. He did try, however. He looked at the Future and in the Future, he saw Solomon's soul reincarnated into a boy born into a prestigious British family.

That's how Uriel came to be England's protector. That's how he came to find him.

On the day of his birth, he had felt his presence, in his bones, in his soul.  
He'd thought he heard the baby's cry in his head. It was a vibrant cry in the atmosphere.

He didn't come right away in the boy's life though.  
He first contented himself by watching him from afar. Until the time was right.

Until, one day…

He heard the voice of someone calling him, praying him. Praying him for his help. The prayer of one Kevin Cecil, young butler at the Twining's.

Listening to his prayer, Uriel had found the young boy had lost his brother and he had to leave his duty as a butler to study and help his family. Kevin Cecil asked him to take care of the Twining household, and to help him finding a college where he could study.

Uriel immediately saw the possibility to get closer to the bearer of Solomon's soul. Besides, as the Archangel of Knowledge and Wisdom, how could he refuse Kevin Cecil's desire to study?

It would be easy to offer him the possibility to study, just like it would be easy to manipulate people's thoughts. Manipulate them into thinking what Uriel wanted them to think: for the Twinings, that Kevin Cecil never left; for the Cecils, that the Twinings agreed to Kevin's departure and wished him well with his studies.

A few days later, he offered Kevin Cecil the opportunity to study law in a college at Manchester.  
Unbeknown to Kevin, he gave Uriel the opportunity to get closer to young William Twining.

It had been easy for Uriel to take Kevin Cecil's place as the Twining's butler.  
The Twining were a loving family, friendly with their servants. They welcomed Uriel – no, _Kevin Cecil _– with a warm smile, as if he was part of the family. And Uriel couldn't help but think of the difference with his own family, with Michael's cold eyes and his cruel smile when he toyed with Uriel's wing.

"_**Don't deceive me again Uriel. I won't tolerate another mistake!"**_

He shuddered at the memory of Michael's threat and tried not to think about that time, when Michael punished him for his last mistake.

It would only bring him pain and bad memories.

He had orders after all. He mustn't dwell on memories, this would affect his mission. He mustn't fail this time. He mustn't. Michael wouldn't tolerate a second mistake.

"_**Find Solomon's reincarnation, and make sure he does not take the demon's path this time."**_

He wouldn't fail this time. Now he had found Solomon, he would watch over him, protect him from Hell and the demons at all costs, and find to way to redeem himself to Solomon. Even if the child ended up hating Uriel, the once archangel would always be there to watch over him and to make amends of the past.

"_**Do not fail again, Uriel."**_

He wouldn't fail. He wouldn't.  
He had to repay the errors of the past, after all.

* * *

He waited until night time before finding the child.

The parents and the servants all went to sleep. All except Uriel, or Kevin Cecil, as he was to be him from now. All were unaware of the muted sound of footsteps, and a bedroom door slowly opening.

Uriel came in and closed the door behind him, very cautious not to make any sound. Spotting the cradle, he approached it slowly while mentally preparing himself to meet the child who possessed Solomon's soul._William_, Uriel told himself, _his name was William_.

There. There he was. Peacefully sleeping, barely six months old, tiny tufts of blond hair on his head, the baby's tiny hands were curled into a fist while his small body was covered with a white blanket. Uriel walked closer, as to examine him better.

He gazed down at the baby, knowing that this child was the vessel of Solomon, not knowing that this child was to become his loving charge.

He was almost a year old, yet he was still so fragile looking. It was hard to imagine that small and vulnerable could contain the soul of the once great king.

Though, in a way, Solomon had been vulnerable once. Sad and vulnerable. It hurt Uriel to know he was partly responsible of Solomon's misfortunes.

As if he has sensed Uriel's presence, William opened up his eyes and stared at the man bending over his bed with huge eyes that were blue with hints of green, suggesting that he would take after Solomon. Solomon was his ancestor, no doubt about that.

The child's eyes seemed to stare into his very soul. Bright, innocent, honestly curious.

Uriel didn't know what exactly happened to him at this very moment. All he knew was, like bewitched, he was enraptured by his huge, almost-green eyes and his rosy cheeks. William, on the other hand, seemed totally fascinated by the purple eyes staring at him and the long hair.

Then, the baby's eyes lighted up, warm, loving, _inviting_.

Uriel was taken aback. When was the last time when someone looked at him with such warm eyes? When was the last time where he wasn't only looked upon by Michael's cold eyes?

Suddenly, he felt tiny fingers grasping his butler vest. Startled, Uriel looked down at the child again. William's eyes were locked upon his, then he giggled.

"Well," Uriel commented in a soft whisper. "Aren't you a happy little boy?"  
A toothless smile answered him, and Uriel couldn't help but smiling slightly. It had been so long since he last smile. It was almost as if he had forgotten how to smile.

But William's smile was contagious.

William stretched his small arms toward him, surprising Uriel.

It seemed William has taken a liking to Kevin Cecil. It was no wonder. Uriel watched over William since the day of his birth, and he knew Kevin Cecil used to play and take care of the baby.

William looked at him, expectantly. Uriel hesitated. Could he try to take and hold him? Could he? Did he even have the right?

But how could he refuse, when William watched him with bright, expectant eyes? Beside, Uriel couldn't know how the baby would react, if he were to refuse holding him. He might cry. He might not. Either way, Uriel didn't want to take the risk.

Slowly, he stretched his arms to William.  
Hands reaching, curious, hesitant, and then gently, with meticulous care.

In a few seconds, William was being lifted and then tended by Uriel's inexperienced yet careful hands.

Uriel reminded himself to be careful as his hands supported both the baby's back and head. Looking around the room, he saw a rocking chair not far away from the cradle and he proceeded to take a seat on it with his little charge.

_There, better_, he told himself once he was seated. William, it seemed, didn't think so and he struggled against the embrace.

"I see. A fighter, aren't we?" Uriel chuckled.

He carefully moved his arms so the child would be more comfortable in his embrace, but William was impatient and he was still fighting in the angel's hold.

"Wait, little one. Let me get you more comfortable. Here, isn't it better this way?"

The child now rested against the angel's warm body and his small blonde head was close to his heart. Uriel's heartbeats seemed to appease William, who looked peacefully at the angel, a tiny hand curling into Uriel's vest. Uriel smiled, contented with the fact the baby was appeased.

_It's been so long_, Uriel mused, it's been thousands of years since he'd been able to hold a child like this. Really, how long had it been since he was in a presence of a child? A human child. Small, young, innocent.

Uriel couldn't remember, not since John the Baptist. Very few knew that fact, though. The fact Uriel knew John the Baptist when he was a child, and how he rescued him once **(2)**. Those times now seemed so far away…

Uriel looked down at William and tentatively brought a gloved hand to his hair. His long fingers carded through William's hair, gently, softly, somewhat clumsy but always carefully. Like he was afraid to break the boy._He seemed so fragile, so fragile_…

His other hand moving in soothing motions across his back.  
William made a pleasing sound, and Uriel couldn't help but smile.

_What a truly, darling child_.

Uriel gazed at the baby in his arms. William was giggling, his eyes sparkled, and a smile graced the toddler's face. The moonlight outside lightened the child's blonde hair, almost like an aura of purity. And Uriel was in awe.

He was like the sun. He was like spring. Golden and bright. And that light extended into the angel. Warm, loving, trusting. The very first taste of what awaited the angel and his protege later on.

Somehow, on that day, the pain and grief that haunted Uriel now were so very far away. Just by looking at this peaceful little face, all his worries about the future were gone. And he was okay with that. This precious little boy, his young master, would always be more than enough.

He knew, despite everything, William couldn't escape his destiny as Solomon's reincarnation. But that was the future, that was not for now. And, for the time being, Kevin could watch over him, and be his guardian angel.

Uriel would always be by his side and he would make sure William knew he would always have someone to rely on. _Always_.

"Even if it's the last thing I do, I'll keep you safe."

It was a never-ending promise.

_Here I am  
Here I am  
Waiting to hold you_.

* * *

**OMAKE:**

A few months later – after a lot of baby related books and some badly cooked meal, Uriel, now Kevin Cecil, was well-adjusted in his role as the Twining's butler.

For the first time since centuries, Uriel was feeling content with his life. The Twining were nothing but friendly with him, and he loved taking care of William. The boy was such a curious and sweet child, though he could be quite stubborn from time to time.

Nonetheless, Kevin loved taking care of him and spending most of his time with the boy. Often, he would smile and talk to him, even though he knew William couldn't understand him (_yet_), yet William always listened to him with attention. He literally seemed to lap up everything Kevin was saying.

"Today's dish is broiled beef and vegetables," he told William. "I'm not quite sure how I should prepare the beef. I never cooked meat before. I guess I should avoid putting too much pepper, what do you think young master?"

As William "talked" (Kevin called that "talking" but in reality, those were just cute little baby noises), Kevin carried him and placed him in his cradle while listening to him with a small smile on his face.

"If you say so, Young Master, then I suppose I'll have to prepare the meat this way."

"Are you talking cooking advice from William, Kevin?" Mrs Twining asked, curiosity in her eyes. She had been watching them interacting for a while, with an amused look on her elegant face.

"He's not actually talking, Madam!" the nurse protested.

William being barely a year old, he was also tended in the care of his mother and the nurse. It was unusual for the nurse to stay once the mother recovered from childbirth **(3)**, but she had been a friend of Mrs Twining and she came to love the boy dearly she decided to stay a little more to help Mrs Twining with little William.

"But of course he's talking!" Kevin told her, like it was as clear as water. "He says he's very sad that neither of you can understand him."

William made a loud baby noise in answer, like he approved Kevin's words.

"See? Young Master is agreeing with me!" Kevin said, beaming at his young charge.

Mrs Twining's amused smile and the nurse's roll eyes were his only answers.

**.: END**.

* * *

Notes:

**(1) **Taken from This Mortal Coil's reprise of _Song to the Sirens_.  
**(2) **In the gospels, Archangel Uriel played a big role in John the Baptist's life. According the texts I've read, he watched over him when he was a child. He's also knew for saving John from the massacres ordered by King Herod, while carrying him to his mother.  
**(3) **The Victorian woman gave birth at home and for those who could afford it, hire a nurse who would assist with the delivery of the baby and stay on for a period of three months until the mother adjusts, as childbirth was difficult for women of Victorian era (mostly because of the death rate)

For those who are interested, my-world-of-glitter made a fanart inspired of my work, you can find it in her tumblr here: : / / my - world - of - glitter . tumblr post / 111609538127 / happy - birthday - my - dear - friend - ive - decided - to - use (remove the space between the words... or just go to my tumblr in the tag Makai Ouji, you can find it in the first pages!)


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